Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra

The best time to visit Mumbai's iconic Gateway of India is just after sunrise, when parrots and pigeons fly overhead, the streets are still relatively quiet, and the sky casts a golden haze over the waterfront in Apollo Bunder. Built to honor King George V and Queen Mary, who visited 16 years earlier, the yellow basalt archway was once the literal gateway to the country, the first landmark people would see when arriving to Bombay by boat. Now, it's a tourist attraction flooded with people hawking guided trips to Elephanta Island, souvenir photos with beautiful women, giant balloons, and crafts. But at sunrise, the seafront is still, perhaps like it used to be several generations ago.